Method for craping fabric.



G. E. SCHULTZ METHOD FOR CRAPING FABRIC.

' APPLICATION FILED 141 .11.24, 1913.

1,076,608,, Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

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H [II I] WM] fi l J m 0 P n m If; ijlhii i' J U U I:J U9 L J UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIGE. I

GEORGE E. SCHULTZ, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO FRANK A. SAYLES, 0F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

METHOD FOR CRAPING FABRIC.

Patented Get, Q1, I913.

To all 'zohom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE E. ScHULTz, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a certain new and useful Method for Craping Fabric, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

This invention has reference to an improved method for treating textile fabric to produce a permanent crape effect.

The main object of this invention is to take any suitable textile fabric and so treat the same while in the broad that the filling or warp threads thereof or both are caused to untwist to a large degree and the fibers of said threads to swell and open whereby said fabric is reduced in dimensions and the distorted threads or fibers produce the effect ordinarily known as crape.

Another object of the invention is to continuously treat fabric to produce the crape efi'ect.

The invention consists in the method of continuously treating fabric hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1, represents a side view of the machine for treating fabric to produce a crape effect. Fig. 2, represents a diagrammatic View illustrating steps in the improved method.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout.

Textile fabric used in the making of crape finish or effect known as serpentine crape has a filling certain or all the threads of which in their process of manufacture have been given a twist which twist has been fixed by the application to the threads of a starchy fluid and the drying thereof. In fabrics more especially adapted for cross crape effect both the warp and filling or certain proportionate parts thereof have been formed from such twisted and starched threads. Heretofore it has been customary to subject said fabric to impregnation of a comparatively weak (2%) solution of caustic soda by coiling the fabric, in rope form,

in a chamber, sometimes mounted for rotation, and then supplying to such chamber the solution of caustic soda. Among other objections to such method is the fact that the twisted fabric, in rope form, did not readily absorb the solution and that such method was not continuous.

In carrying my improved method intoractice I take the fabric in the broad and eed or move said fabric along continuously over a sustainin guide whereby said fabric is sustained in t e broad and while it is so sustained and, preferably, moving in the direction of its length, I subject said fabric to the action of comparatively a strong solution of caustic soda at a suitable temperature. Ihe solution referred to is in the nature of a detergent and is applied to the fabric in fine streams from a large number of spray pipes or other spraying devices so that such streams of solution are directed a ainst both sides of the fabric so that all 0 the threads of the fabric are impregnated with the solution whereby the starchy coating of the threads is dissolved and washed away and the fibers of said threads are saturated with the solution and, as a result thereof, the fibers of the threads swell and the strands thereof untwist thus effecting 'duced and the threads are distorted to produce the crape effect. During such untwisting and shrinkage of the threads and the consequent reduction in width of the fabric, the fabric tends to twist and form a rope which facilitates the feeding forward of the fabric through the usual guide eyes to subsequent operations.

The drawings forming part hereof illustrate the preferred form of machine for carrying out my'improved method and in such drawings 5 indicates a suitable vat or tank having located thoreabove the chamber ('3 open at the top and bottom and rovided with the upper guide 7 and with tie series of spray plpes or spraying devices 8, 8 adapted to direct streams or sprays of fluid toward the central plane of said chamber 6.

Rotatably mounted in the tank or vat 5 is one or 'more fabric agitating devices 9, 9 square in cross section by which the fabric, in rope form, passing thereover is loosened without stretching the fabrlc.

Such tank or vat 5 is'also preferably furnishe'd with the compartment 10 which is supplied with practically fresh Water and said compartment 10 has the traveler fabric the solution.

I the fabric is led between the squeeze rolls' carrying belt or device 11 adapted to carry and between the squeeze rolls 12, 12. When now the solution above referred to, or any suitable solution, is supplied to the spraying devices 8, 8 under pressure, the streams of such fluid impinge against and, to some eX- tent, penetrate the fabric a-a whereby during the comparatively slow progression of the fabric through chamber 6 said fabric is thoroughly impregnated with such fluid,

the adhesive or coating of the filling or warp threads or of all of said threads is dissolved or loosened and to a large extent washed away and the fibers of said threads receive Gradually, as the fabric moves downward. the absorption of said solution by the filling threads becomes sufiicient to effect the swelling of the fibers thereof and their consequent retraction or shrinkage as well as the unwinding of their twist whereby the warp threads are drawn together and distorted to such an extent that the contraction thereof produces irregular corrugations, crimps or wrinkles in the fabric. As such fabric, at a point distant from the guide 7 is free to twist the weight of the saturating fluid carried by the fabric and the shrinking of the threads tends to contract the fabric int-o rope form and in such rope form the fabric is led over one or i more of the agitators 9, S) whereby the folds of the fabric are loosened and the fluid carried by the fabric penetrates more readily into the fibers. After leaving the agitators 9, 9 the fabric a-a passes to the conveyer 11 in the compartment 10 of vat 5 and is passed through. the comparatively fresh water in. said compartment. Finally 12, 12 whereby a large portion of the water is squeezed from the fabric.

ThlS improved method is not hereby restricted to the operation on fabric of any specific construction adapted to produce crape effects by or through its saturation. For instance the fabric adapted for this purpose may have certain orall of its filling threads or of its warp threads or of both thereof of any well known nature, construction or material adapted to shrink, unwind or become distorted in the operation herein described.

Apparently the manner of suspending the fabric in the broad at one point while having the depending portion free to draw on said suspended portion, with the added weight of the saturating fluid, is of importance as the Weight of said fluid tends to draw downward the progressively saturated portions of the fabric and the tendency of said fabric is to contract.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatent- 1.- That method of treating fabric to produce crape effects therein, which consists in sustaining'suitable fabric in the broad at one point and permitting other portions of the fabric to hang free, and subjecting said fabric while in the broad to the action of an alkaline saturating fluid.

2. That method of treating fabric to produce crape effects therein which consists in sustaining fabric in the broad, progressively feeding said fabric, and progressively saturating the fabric while distended or in the broad with a solution of caustic soda.

3. That method of treating fabric to produce crape effect-s therein which consists in progressively feeding forward the fabric in the broad to distend the same applying to said fabric while distended a saturating detergent fluid under pressure and permitting the saturated portion of said fabric to contract and draw on itself.

4. That method of treating fabricto produce crape effects therein which consists in feeding forward a suitable fabric, distending said fabric, subjecting the distended portion of the fabric to a saturating fluid applied under pressure, and agitating said saturated fabric.

5. That method of treating fabric to produce'crape effects which consists in providing a multiplicity of cross streams of detergent fluidunder pressurecarrying forward the fabric to be treated in the broad in a direction at an angle to the direction of said streams, straining said fabric by the weight of fluid taken by said fabric from streams, and washing said fabric.

GEORGE E. SCHULTZ.

Witnssesi r N. FREEMAN Coonorr, FRANCIS M. SMITH. 

